I recently watched the movie "Dor" on Sahara. In spite of huge number of movies last year which are considered to Gr8. I believe this movie is way better than all of them. Omkara is a close second for me. There is this scene in the movie where Gul asks Ayesha to join her for Rasgullas. Ayesha refuses saying that she is not supposed to enjoy life. To which Gul says one must make his/her own decisions. Whenever you need to stretch beyond what society around you prescribes you must make a "iman ki chalang". If you right you would cross the hurdle or else you would not. This was an outstanding moment for me in the movie.
I have noticed, in spite of so called education most of us are not willing to move out of boundaries defined by the society. The solution was presented in a very subtle and beautiful way.
Hope this inspires us to do better stuff in life...
Monday, April 30, 2007
Flying Maharaja way....
About a week back, I set out for Durgapur. This was to attend the marriage of Saurabh. Saurabh is one of those guys who get a kick in proving a point, In a very positive way. He is extremely competitive. I was all excited as I was going to Durgapur for the first time. I booked flight tickets to Calcutta (rather Kolkata) and took this train from over there. Marriage was Gr8 and I would write about some other time. While returning back, the clever person Iam (booked tickets on the laptop I was carrying) not realizing the difficulty of finding a printer in Durgapur. But the fact that we were from Ladkawalas helped us. We were helped with a printout but ........
The train from Durgapur to Kolkata was 4 hours late. There were many other trains in between but the ticket I booked online came to haunt me and prevented me from taking any other train.
I reach Howrah station at 06:30 PM (with my flight at 07:30 PM). I was confident of catching the flight as I had booked Air Deccan which was known for delyas due to Air traffic congestion (Euphemism used for inefficiency of Airlines). But After I reach Kolkata airport I figure out that the plane has left, to my surprise all Air Deccan flights are late except mine which possibly was before time. Thereafter my royal experience began....
I try logging on to my Laptop (as I feel empowered in its presence), and figure out that none of the flights were available. I try Air India web site as well, It does not work. I try for a zillion times before I walk across to International airport. I meet this Air India employee there who says "Bhaiya kitne tak pade ho, yahan sirf international plane aati hai". He says this while you have a departure flight for Mumbai mentioned (Which is where I was headed to). I thought possibly I was wrong, afterall it was Air India employee. I again use my Laptop to figure out the helpline for Air India and he suggests that indeed there was a flight for Air India and he says I can buy those tickets in the boarding pass counter. All you guys who have not travelled by Air India, please note Air India tickets are not available in any airport but you need to move to a location far from airport. That is by design. I again go back to International airport (now that I have assurance from Helpline wala),I was promptly stopped at the gate by Airport Authority of India guard, He asked me to call up this Air India Guy from Inside. I call this person and he says he would be pick me up in 5 minutes, He does not turn up after even half an hour. This security Guard says "aur koi airline hota tho turant aa jate hai, yeh air India wale to flight ko halka phulka udana pasand karte hain". Finally, I convince this guy, he asks me to get in but leaving my luggage outside. I manage to get inside the airport and reach the Air India counter. My conversation with AI (Air India person) is as follows.
Me: Can I have ticket to Mumbai on this .....flight (It is 10:00 PM)
AI: (smoking a cigarrette, ofcourse it is banned in public places)Iam busy come after 01:00 AM. (The flight is at 03:15 AM).
Me: If I do not get ticket now, I would not be allowed in again.
AI: I would come for a round, look for me when I come to the lounge.
Me:I woukd not be allowed in lounge as well
AI: I can give you a ticket If you are carrying cash. Would not accept card.
Finally, I get tickets. I enter the airport. Having the fortune (or rather misfortune) of visiting S'Pore and B'Kok, I can only feel sad at the condition of Airport. In the only restaurant, we see a couple of cats fighting (or doing whatever, Gr8 Hygiene picture). The restaurant does not have 90% of items on menu.
finally I board the flight. This Air hostess serves me water in the most discomfortable way as If she was doing a charity. She serves food and without even asking me If I had finished she takes away the plate. I later realize the reason,when I find her yawning in seat back row to me.
I get down in Mumbai, I come out I see a prepaid taxi counter openly charging more money than he should (Toll of Rs 35 as against 25, saying this is RTO recommendation). The list is never ending.
The socialist mindset of ours has destroyed us. Air India, could have ruled the world but it today
Its not just Air India, Kolkata Railway station was a experience which would need another blog from me for discussion. But Air India is face of India to the world. The way it treated me let an everlasting feeling in my mind that this maharaja has ..........................
The train from Durgapur to Kolkata was 4 hours late. There were many other trains in between but the ticket I booked online came to haunt me and prevented me from taking any other train.
I reach Howrah station at 06:30 PM (with my flight at 07:30 PM). I was confident of catching the flight as I had booked Air Deccan which was known for delyas due to Air traffic congestion (Euphemism used for inefficiency of Airlines). But After I reach Kolkata airport I figure out that the plane has left, to my surprise all Air Deccan flights are late except mine which possibly was before time. Thereafter my royal experience began....
I try logging on to my Laptop (as I feel empowered in its presence), and figure out that none of the flights were available. I try Air India web site as well, It does not work. I try for a zillion times before I walk across to International airport. I meet this Air India employee there who says "Bhaiya kitne tak pade ho, yahan sirf international plane aati hai". He says this while you have a departure flight for Mumbai mentioned (Which is where I was headed to). I thought possibly I was wrong, afterall it was Air India employee. I again use my Laptop to figure out the helpline for Air India and he suggests that indeed there was a flight for Air India and he says I can buy those tickets in the boarding pass counter. All you guys who have not travelled by Air India, please note Air India tickets are not available in any airport but you need to move to a location far from airport. That is by design. I again go back to International airport (now that I have assurance from Helpline wala),I was promptly stopped at the gate by Airport Authority of India guard, He asked me to call up this Air India Guy from Inside. I call this person and he says he would be pick me up in 5 minutes, He does not turn up after even half an hour. This security Guard says "aur koi airline hota tho turant aa jate hai, yeh air India wale to flight ko halka phulka udana pasand karte hain". Finally, I convince this guy, he asks me to get in but leaving my luggage outside. I manage to get inside the airport and reach the Air India counter. My conversation with AI (Air India person) is as follows.
Me: Can I have ticket to Mumbai on this .....flight (It is 10:00 PM)
AI: (smoking a cigarrette, ofcourse it is banned in public places)Iam busy come after 01:00 AM. (The flight is at 03:15 AM).
Me: If I do not get ticket now, I would not be allowed in again.
AI: I would come for a round, look for me when I come to the lounge.
Me:I woukd not be allowed in lounge as well
AI: I can give you a ticket If you are carrying cash. Would not accept card.
Finally, I get tickets. I enter the airport. Having the fortune (or rather misfortune) of visiting S'Pore and B'Kok, I can only feel sad at the condition of Airport. In the only restaurant, we see a couple of cats fighting (or doing whatever, Gr8 Hygiene picture). The restaurant does not have 90% of items on menu.
finally I board the flight. This Air hostess serves me water in the most discomfortable way as If she was doing a charity. She serves food and without even asking me If I had finished she takes away the plate. I later realize the reason,when I find her yawning in seat back row to me.
I get down in Mumbai, I come out I see a prepaid taxi counter openly charging more money than he should (Toll of Rs 35 as against 25, saying this is RTO recommendation). The list is never ending.
The socialist mindset of ours has destroyed us. Air India, could have ruled the world but it today
Its not just Air India, Kolkata Railway station was a experience which would need another blog from me for discussion. But Air India is face of India to the world. The way it treated me let an everlasting feeling in my mind that this maharaja has ..........................
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